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Thursday, September 30, 2010

I like to look at magazines, mostly fashion...sometimes cooking ....and now some book type magazines. I recently purchased a 2 year subscription to RT Book Reviews. These are the same people that put on a large authors and readers convention every year (2011 will be in Los Angeles).

I've just received my November 2010 issue and was really thrilled with the cover- since I've ordered the book that they've highlighted. I'm a little behind on reading the series but I do love Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swensen Series because it combines mystery, romance and usually several good recipes. How can you ask for more?

I just recently started to acquire the Leslie Meier books to read too so this is a perfect anthology :)

So are you reading any magazines that have to do with books? Inquiring minds want to know.﻿

Monday, September 27, 2010

So today is the start of "Banned Book Week", it's the week where the American Library Association draws attention to the most "Challenged" books that exist in our society today. I never really thought much about this topic until I happened to glance at the list of books and was shocked by some of the books that I saw on the list. The more I looked, the angrier I got.

I applaud any parent who realizes that their child is not mature enough to handle certain topics but that should not mean that the book gets banned from public libraries- it might just need an age requirement in order to be checked out.

I'm going to highlight some of the books that I read when I was in grade school or high school that are now on the list:

1. Mark Twain by Samuel Clemmons- I read this book and watched the Walt Disney movie when I was a young child. While the language that is used in the book is not acceptable today, the book is worth reading. This is something that I would let an older child read with a conversation of what is and isn't acceptable in our society and how we have grown and changed over the years.

2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee- This is a fabulously written book and in my opinion is a cry to arms against the social injustice of racism and the evils that it perpetrates in our society. The movie adaptation is fantastic and ranks twenty-fifth on the American Film Institutes 10th Anniversary List of the greatest American movies of all time.

3. Charlotte's Webb by E.B. White- I loved this book and can't even imagine what has caused this book to be on the list.

4. Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne- Really, again no clue as to why this book would be on the banned or challenged list and all I can say is "Wake Up" people.

5. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell- I'm assuming that this is banned due to the racism of the time but I found this book to be interesting and also a warning. This is a book that I would recommend for older teens but still would not ban.

6. TheLord Of The Rings by JRR Tolkien - Again I have no idea why this book would be banned except that it is a fantasy based on folklore. Seriously if you can't tell the difference between reality and fiction.....it's time to get a clue!

7. The Call Of The Wild by Jack London- While I personally found this to be a boring book to read, I certainly don't think it should be banned or challenged. It's an interesting look at our American past. Again this is a book for an older child- clearly not meant for someone who is not mature.

8. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier- This is a fantastic book but again is meant for a mature reader. The movie adaptation is also fantastic!

9. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hamett - Another great classic meant for a mature reader. Another fantastic film adaptation.

10. The War Of The Worlds by H.G. Wells- While this book was not necessarily my cup of tea, it too can be read by a mature reader. There have been several adaptations of this book and while the version from the 1950's is very campy...I kinda like it.....

So be informed and read one of the banned books....I dare you!

Here is a link to the American Library Association - just put Banned Books in their search engine to see everything that is going on this week

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

So today there aren't as many books releasing and I'm only purchasing one this week

Blurb:

Furious at his grandmother s ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance, Lord Jarret Sharpe wagers his luck and his heart at the card table against a most unlikely opponent.Mired in scandal after his parents mysterious deaths, notorious gambler Lord Jarret Sharpe agrees to tamely run the family brewery for a year if his Machiavellian grandmother rescinds her ultimatum that he marry. But the gambler in him can t resist when beguiling Annabel Lake proposes a wager. If she wins their card game, he must help save her family s foundering brewery. But if he wins, she must spend a night in his bed. The outcome sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy all his plans . . . and unveils the secret Annabel has held for so long. When Jarret discovers the darker reason behind her wager, he forces her into another one and this time he intends to win not just her body, but her heart.

Enchanted for thousands of years, the shape-shifters known as the Dragon's Teeth Warriors have awakened to find the world a vastly different place. Their leader, concerned for their morale, dares to take them on a mission to confront the fullness of everything they've lost. Little does Drake realize that this dangerous mission will give him a renewed purpose. And if they succeed these Pyr will have to question everything they thought they knew about the past—and confront a quest for the future.

My Review:

This is a very short novella whose focus is the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" that were released from their enchanted prison in the book Winter Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel (DRAGON FIRE NOVEL). We are given the opportunity to discover more of the mythology behind this series and of the role that each group plays. At this time the novella is only available in ebook format.

Drake is the leader of the rescued "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" , he's faced with the task of keeping his warriors together and deciding their involvement in the war between the Pyr and the Slayers. He's also a man who's experiencing some depression and anger at what has happened to him and his men. He knows that the world has changed dramatically since his imprisonment, his fear has promoted him to decide to take his warriors back to their home in Delphi in the hopes that once the men see that everything and everyone they knew is gone that they will be able to move on in this new life.

Veronica is an American woman in Delphi looking for her missing husband, a soldier who had been sent on a secret mission. When her path crosses the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" , Veronica provides purpose to Drake and his men and they are reminded of why they became warriors. Her role is small but important in this short story.

The conclusion of the story lets us know what the "Dragon's Teeth Warriors" have decided to do about their future and on whose side they will be joining the fight. I really enjoyed this short novella and felt that it was a good bridge for these new characters which could end up being of pivotal importance to the war between good and evil. I look forward to reading the next full book in this series, Whisper Kiss: A Dragonfire Novel (DRAGON FIRE NOVEL), which is currently out.

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